Romeo OWI Arrest Footage
Body camera footage released by Wisconsin authorities is shedding new light on the July traffic stop that resulted in former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s arrest on suspicion of operating while intoxicated (OWI).
The video, released by the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office, shows deputies pulling Romo over on Interstate 43 in Milwaukee after they said he committed an unsafe passing violation by driving through a marked gore area, the painted section of roadway that separates travel lanes from highway entrance and exit ramps.
During the stop, deputies asked Romo where he was coming from. He said he had been golfing and was on his way to visit his grandparents. When questioned about alcohol consumption, Romo told officers he had not been drinking.
Despite his response, deputies said they noticed several signs they believed indicated possible impairment, including bloodshot, glassy eyes and the odor of an alcoholic beverage. Officers then asked Romo to step out of his vehicle to perform a series of standardized field sobriety tests.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies concluded that Romo showed signs of impairment during the roadside evaluation. The body camera footage also shows Romo declining to take a preliminary breath test. He told deputies he had previously been advised by attorneys not to submit to roadside breath tests.
After Romo refused the test, deputies informed him they would seek a warrant for a chemical test and placed him under arrest on suspicion of OWI. He was transported to jail, booked and later released.
Authorities also cited Romo for allegedly refusing a chemical test, unsafe passing and possessing an open intoxicant in a motor vehicle after deputies reported finding an open bottle of alcohol inside his vehicle during an inventory search before it was towed.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office released the body camera footage days after the arrest, offering the public a firsthand view of the interaction between Romo and law enforcement. The footage captures the roadside questioning, field sobriety testing and the moments leading up to his arrest.
Under Wisconsin law, a first-offense OWI is generally treated as a civil traffic violation rather than a criminal offense, though penalties can include fines, license revocation and mandatory alcohol assessment.
Romo, 46, spent his entire 14-season NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys, earning four Pro Bowl selections before retiring following the 2016 season. Since leaving football, he has become one of the NFL’s most recognizable television analysts for CBS Sports.
Romo is scheduled to appear in Milwaukee County court in September. As of Thursday, he had not publicly commented on the release of the body camera footage or the allegations against him.
